Just One Night
by A Picture Says It All
Summary: #34. Just one night, a moment in time. One person's action can change everything and alter others for all eternity. Prom night is supposed to be fun, right? *Written by simba517*


**Just One Night**  
Image #34  
Word Count: 5283  
Rating: M  
Summary: Just one night, a moment in time. One person's action can change everything and alter others for all eternity. Prom night is supposed to be fun, right?

* * *

"Bella, would you do me the honor of being my date for my senior prom?" Edward asked.

_He asked me. He actually asked me to his senior prom!_

Not that I had any doubt about him asking, but it was still exciting to actually hear those words spoken from his beautiful lips.

"Yes, of course I will go with you!" I giggled like a child.

"Great. Now I can stop sweating bullets and actually think about the night's festivities."

"Wait, did you think I would say no?" Truth be told, I may have let on that I didn't want to go to a school dance, but I was excited about the thought of being in his arms as we danced the night away. And thinking about all of the things that we could do to cap the night off... well, let's just say my imagination was running rampant.

"Of course not, it's just that I know you don't like dances."

"You're right. I don't. But I am not about to be the party pooper and ruin your Senior Prom, you big dope." I smiled. "Is the crew going?"

"Every single one of them. Alice said yes to Jasper while Rosalie told Emmett to 'shut the fuck up, I will go with you already' when he asked her if she was actually going to take him. Those were her words not mine." Edward made quotations with his hands as he repeated Rosalie's words.

"And you were a witness to the gents asking ladies?"

"Of course not. Jasper told me Alice said yes, but with Emmett and Rosalie, I could hear them through the walls, I just wasn't a witness."

Emmett, home for the weekend from college, is Edward's older brother who happens to be dating senior and head varsity cheerleader, Rosalie. Alice is Edward's twin sister.

"So what kind of festivities do you boys have planned?"

"That is for us to know and you to sit back and relax. However, the relaxing part will not start until after you and the other feisty girls go dress shopping."

"Great, when is this shopping trip taking place?"

He eyed me cautiously. "This Saturday?" He asked rather then stated the date of said shopping excursion.

"Ugh," I groaned. "Does it have to be so soon? That is this weekend."

"Well, what are you going to be doing while me and the guys are playing baseball?"

"Fine," I huffed. "You win. One of them is driving, though. We aren't taking my beat up, piece of shit of a car."

"I will let them know." He was so happy that Alice, Rosalie, and myself had all become so close.

It was mid morning on Saturday. Edward stopped by to say hi prior to meeting up with the other guys for their recreation league baseball game. He loves the sport and is a great pitcher. I love to see him decked out in his sporty attire... He looked super sexy today as he shoved his messy locks up under his baseball cap.

"Enjoy the day with the girls, see you later." He kissed me goodbye then I watched him, well, I checked out his back side, as he walked to his shiny new Volvo. As he drove off, I waved.

Since it was time for the girls to show up, and I was ready to go, I decided to just sit back on the porch swing and wait. I did this often - sat outside, listening to the birds chirp or the crickets sing, thinking about nothing and everything.

For the moment, I thought about how my relationship with Edward had grown so much over the past few months. We officially started dating on February 14th.

_Yes, I know. It was Valentine's day._

He had just finished dating Tanya Denali and I had finally broken up with Jacob Black. For both Edward and I, those relationships were rather destructive. Tanya didn't really give a flying flip about Edward as a person, she was glad to have had the appearance of being his eye candy. And my relationship with Jacob Black was a bit on the abusive side - me always on the receiving end of a bruise.

Edward was my lab partner in Biology. So over the course of the school year, we grew closer and always complained about our respective relationships. We both agreed that we needed out. He broke up with Tanya in January and I ended my relationship with Jacob on February 1st.

It was 4th period biology on Valentine's Day. Edward knew I was feeling depressed, he just didn't know why. And I did not want to tell him that it was because I would be sitting at home doing homework while my friends would be out on their romantic dates. Sensing my desire to not ride the bus, and since my house was on his way, he offered to drive me home after school. I agreed reluctantly - not because I didn't want to be with him, I just didn't want to be a burden to a friend.

It was a silent drive to my house with an occasional one liner sentence. The mood became awkward and I didn't understand why. Finally, he pulled into the gravel driveway at my house. No one was home as my parents were still at work.

I didn't want to get out of the car - some outside force kept me in my seat. And then I heard it.

"Bella?" he questioned. And the way he said my name did strange things to me. I suddenly became incredibly nervous. At that moment, my hands came together and I began picking at my fingernails. I slowly lifted my head to look at him.

"Yes?"

"I wanted to know... uhm... I..." He obviously had something to say but couldn't find the right words. His hand slowly came to my face to move my hair away from my eyes. He carefully tucked it behind my left pierced ear.

_What is that feeling? God, I am so freakin' nervous! It's only Edward. My lab partner. My FRIEND._

I had to emphasize the word _friend_, because that's what he was to me.

_Right?_

Edward must have collected his thoughts because he stared heavily into my eyes as he spoke, "Do you mind if I do something?"

"No." I was confused. Why would he ask me if he could do something? His head slowly came towards mine.

_OH Shit! He's going to kiss me!_

And I let him. It was a simple kiss. His lips softly pressed against mine. But I had all this nervous energy to get out of my system. Before I realized it, my lips parted inviting him in. Our kiss deepened to the point that we were breathing heavily.

_Damn he is an awesome kisser!_

I felt his left hand grasp my right shoulder almost trying to pull me closer. But, we were in a car... in the driveway... at my house. I slowly pulled back, and we just stared into each others eyes. It was as if I was looking into them to see if he was ok with what just happened, and I think he was doing the same. So I did the best thing I knew - I smiled.

He returned the look and we both let out a bit of a giggle.

"Uhm, I am sorry about that. I just wanted to know what it would be like to kiss you," he said.

"And?"

"And, what?" he asked, confused, obviously not thinking about what he had just said moments ago.

"And, what was it like... to kiss me?"

_Now I am nervous. What if he didn't like it? What if I am bad at kissing? What if..._

Before I could continue with more 'what if's' he replied, "It was incredible and hope I can do it again."

And that was how Edward and I began our time together as boyfriend and girlfriend.

From my place on the porch swing, I could see where he and I had our first kiss. We have had many firsts over the past few months. First date to the movies. First time at second base. First anniversary - one month to be exact.

We even had a first group date with his brother and sister and their respective partners. That was when the dynamics of our outside friends changed.

I never knew a family to be so close. But seeing how Edward, Emmett and Alice got along was amazing. Rosalie and Jasper just fit in with the family, so when I was introduced as Edward's girlfriend, it was as if I just received an extended family. I loved it.

Even though I am not much of a shopper, I looked forward to hanging out with Alice and Rosalie, my 'sisters' for all intents and purpose, because I am an only child.

They finally showed up and I climbed into the back of Rosalie's massive jeep.

_So much for perfect hair!_

I don't care about my hair, but Rosalie, on the other hand... I just don't get how someone so vain about her appearance could sit in a vehicle that has no windows.

Alice is quite the shopper and knows what she wants. Forks does not cater to her fancy taste; so we took the long trip to the Seattle mall and ended up at Cache.

The store is as high end as they come for a mall this size, but since this was _their _Senior prom, and with Rosalie being nominated for Prom Queen, Alice wanted top of the line attire.

Three weeks later we were standing in Rosalie's bathroom in our bras and panties, each wearing a button down shirt.

_Hey now, we are ladies and we understand how it is to get ready._

With her long blond hair in 2 inch hot rollers, Rosalie dressed herself in a very sexy and very short vixen red dress. It had a strap that fastened over her left shoulder leaving her right shoulder bare. It resembled a mini skirt, but the bottom portion ballooned out a bit. Her shoes looked like 4 inch heel glass slippers.

_Hooker shoes, if you ask me._

The look fit Rosalie and her personality.

Alice, on the other hand, dressed in a beautiful silk teal colored knee-length fitted dress. It was pleated and also only had one strap that draped over her left shoulder. On the right side of the dress, a classy starburst pleating made its way across her stomach. Her pale nude 4 inch heals with an opening for her toes to peak through completed the look.

Alice began slicking back her short black hair. It made her appearance different since we were used to a spikey hair-do, but the style she was creating was perfect for her dress.

Since they were both dressed and _almost _ready to go, they turned their attention to me. I stepped into my strapless pale blue dress. It flowed just below my knees and had a black sash that tied around the waist. I loved it because if I twirled, the bottom part of the dressed flared out.

Alice obtained my shoe box located on the bed and handed me one. I slipped on the two inch black heels. The pump-like shoes had an added ballet tie that wrapped around and up to my mid-calf.

Once I was dressed, Rosalie tended to my normal natural looking hair by taking an inch at a time and wrapping them into tight curls around the curling iron. When finished, my hair bounced as I walked. The curls were unlike my usual straight hair.

Meanwhile, Alice worked on my makeup giving me a natural look, with an added dark hue of bedroom eyes.

I knew what she was doing. She was adding the special glow to my face - the one that say 'take me to bed'. Truth be known, this was going to be _the_ night.

_Tonight will be awesome! I will have sex with Edward for the first time._

Alice squealed, "If I were a lesbian, I would so do you... right now!"

"Uh, I will take that as a compliment?" I half commented, half questioned.

Rosalie walked to me, putting an arm around my shoulder and whispered seductively into my ear, "Yes, a definite compliment."

_Moving on..._

While Alice applied the last of my make up, we heard the sound, or I should say sounds, of various car horns. None of us knew what the guys had planned for tonight. But, by the sound of it, we were not all riding together.

True to thought, when we stepped outside, each guy was standing next to a fancy car. Emmett in a black tux stood next to a gray Hummer.

"Gray?" Rosalie shouted, although it was more like she was pissed.

"Come on babe! I chose gray because I knew you would be in Red... and with you standing next to the _gray_ Hummer, you would be the one to stand out." She accepted his response.

Jasper stood next to a black vintage Dodge Viper wearing a black tux and had a teal vest matching the color of Alice's dress.

"Fast, just the way I like it." Alice commented on his choice of car although I wondered if she had a sexual innuendo in her response.

I glanced over at Edward standing in front of a classy black Rolls-Royce. Dressed in an all black tux, with his arms crossed, he leaned back against the car and had one of his feet pressed against the wheel.

_God, he looks HOT!_

We had pictures taken of us, lots of them. Rosalie's mom took some of all of us and separately as couples. Then we caravaned to the Cullen house for more pictures and dinner.

Esme, Edward's mom, was a professionally trained chef, so our delicious 4 course meal consisted of lettuce wedge salad - a lettuce wedge on top of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes and goat cheese with balsamic vinaigrette dressing drizzled on top, followed by jumbo shrimp cocktail with Maryland-style crab cakes on the side. Next up were tender filet's with fresh steamed asparagus, and finally creme brulee for each couple as dessert.

Edward's family had transformed their basement into a romantic dining room. It was dimly lit and candles were everywhere. It was in a part of the house that allowed us a bit of privacy, even though his parents were nearby to supervise.

During the steak portion of our evening, we all became a bit giddy.

"Steak and potatoes, baby. Now, that's a man's meal." Emmett said. "I could enjoy that any ole night."

The other guys agreed with him.

And in his most southern hick drawl, "Rosie, you be fixin' me some meat and 'tator's tomorrow night?"

"Fixin'?" Rosalie's bitch face was showing full strength. "What the hell kind of language you be speakin?" And, now, joking Rosalie joined the party. The girl has some serious mood swings.

"Emmett, where did you learn to speak southern?" I casually asked.

"Well, you see here pretty lady," again in a tried southern voice, but failing miserably, Emmett continued, "my college roommate is from the south. Georgia, to be exact. He is quite southern. I probably shouldn't mention this, but I have been hanging around him so much that occasionally a word I say comes out sounding a bit country. For instance, you might say the number five, but after hanging around him a bit, my five might sound like f_ah_ve."

We couldn't help but laugh at his attempted southern voice. It sure is amazing how one person can have such a powerful influence over another. After being with Edward I could attest to that. I had a lot of influence over him, but he had the same influence over me. We worked well together.

After dinner, we all had more pictures. Then we each climbed into our respective cars to leave for the dance.

"Bella, you sure do look stunning tonight, and your dress..." Edward said while stopped at a stop light. He gave me this look and I instantly knew what he was thinking.

"Thank you." The light turned green, and his eyes returned to the road. "I hope you like the color. I know you are more of a royal blue kind of guy, but I just loved this dress, and pale blue was the closest I could get." I rambled.

"You're perfect. And the color compliments you."

I just looked at him and smiled, even though he could not see me very well since he was focused on the road in front of him.

_I sure would enjoy watching his hands as they maneuver his manual stick... shift Volvo._

When we arrived at the dance we didn't immediately exit the car. He reached over and grasped my hand, his thumb caressing my knuckles in a comforting kind of way.

"Bella, I know we have talked about this night for the past few weeks. And I know that we have certain 'expectations' for how we want it to end, uhm... you know... with losing our virginity and all..." He became nervous, but then regained his composure. "I just want you to know that just having you by my side is all I need. Everything else is icing on the cake. In other words, if you decide not to go through with it, that is ok with me. I want you to be happy and I don't want you to have regrets. Please promise that you will only do what _you_ want to do and not what you expect from me."

_Wow. What a speech! And so noble of him to allow it to be up to me._

"Edward. I promise. But rest assured, I want it as much as you, if not more. Now, lets go inside, dance to a song or two, and leave so we can do what we both ultimately want to do." I smiled and winked.

I knew he understood me. He quickly exited his seat and rushed to my door to open, with my hand in his, he guided me out of the car and pulled me straight into a hug. I felt him tenderly kiss my temple.

The music was loud, the dance floor was crowded, and the rest of our crew had yet to show up. So, to pass the time, we had the professional photographer stage us in order for us to have photo proof of our special evening at his senior prom.

A slow song began so he held my hand as he led me to the dance floor. We were face to face - I with my arms wrapped around his neck - and him - with his hands clasped behind me resting on my lower back. We swayed back and forth to the beat, all while looking into each others eyes. We knew what was ahead of us. We both wanted it. But, we also both knew we could never go back. So I enjoyed the moment of being so close to him, dancing, and at the same time I hoped with all my wishes, that he was enjoying the moment with me. He leaned down, our lips meeting, forgetting all those around us. We were so in the moment.

_I never wanted to forget this night._

Not realizing the song had ended, I felt his hands caress my tush and I immediately blushed thinking about those that might witness our 'private' moment. I pulled away from him just as I heard Jasper say "get a room!"

_And now with the rest of the crew here the real party can begin!_

We realigned ourselves for the quicker tempo of the fast paced music. The dance floor, crowded again, with all of us bouncing up an down to the beat, arms in the air.

_Raise the roof!_

Alice was there, doing the 'Roger Rabbit,' while Rosalie danced the 'shopping cart'. Emmett, being a big bear kind of guy looked awkward as he did the manly 'lawn mower' while Jasper attempted the 'sprinkler', although he looked more like he was smacking Alice's ass.

Edward and I, well, we just laughed at the debacle of a mess in front of us. At least we were having the night of our life!

We decided it was time for the next event of our evening, so we said our goodbyes and told them we would meet up later at the hotel. He wouldn't tell me where we were going next but I knew it involved a blanket.

We made our way to the local park. Off to the right of the parking lot was a lit pathway. Hand in hand, I let him lead the way. The cool evening air was getting to me so he offered his jacket, which I greedily accepted.

He led me to an area that was less traveled. In fact, it was off the beaten path and after about a 100 yards or so of walking through a cluster of trees, we reached a moonlit open area.

_A meadow?_

The evening was perfect. It was relatively cool, but once we reached the final destination, he laid out the blanket he was carrying. I looked into the sky at the full moon. He stood behind me and wrapped his arms around me. We stayed like this for what seemed like eternity.

After enjoying the peaceful surroundings, I felt his lips caress my ear which started the trail of kisses to my neck. He removed his jacket I was wearing.

With his arms still around me, I turned so I could face him. His mouth, now level with mine. He pulled me closer. At first, our kiss was slow but soon reached full on passion. I felt his hands caress my bare shoulders then roamed my back looking for the zipper.

Slowly, I felt his hand on my back as he pulled my dress undone. It fell to my feet.

I worked quickly to pull his white button down dress shirt out from within his pants then my hands undid the buttons. Our kiss never stopping. Breathing became heavy.

With me standing in my matching bra and thong, I undid his belt buckle and worked to pull his pants down.

His long fingers, caressing my back, made their way to my bra clasp and he successfully unhooked it with one hand. The other rubbing my chin and slowly moving to the back of my head. It stayed there, while the other hand reached my perky breast.

He stopped our kiss for a moment to take in his mouth my aroused nipple, sucking slowly at first then becoming more aggressive with his mouth and hands. I allowed my right hand to reach into his boxers, wrapping my fingers tentatively around him before stroking the shaft slowly.

Before I knew it, we were both naked, him on his back, and me, straddling him. I knew of the pain I was about to feel, but it didn't matter. I slowly lowered myself onto him, letting out a quiet moan in the process. He felt such pleasure and let out an even louder groan.

Once I became comfortable with the position I found myself, I bounced up and down, ever so slowly. His hands on my lower back. Our eyes locked on the other.

_We are doing this. We are really having sex!_

As I continued up and down, up and down, his thumb rubbed circles around my clit. My arousal deepening. I felt my body tense as it reacted to his touch, reaching my ultimate orgasm, which fueled his, resulting in us both voicing our satisfaction with moans. As our bodies calmed, we laid together, arms around each other, bodies intertwined.

_I had sex, AND an orgasm. OMG! Wait until I tell the girls how wonderful it was._

I let out a heavy breath and he reacted and hesitantly asked, "Are you ok?"

"Ok? I am more than ok! That was incredible!"

"I love you, Bella!"

"Edward, I love you, too. More than words can express."

"I know and I feel the same."

We laid there for a while longer, but being naked under the starry sky, we began to get cold. Once dressed again, he tried to make my hair a bit presentable, but it didn't matter. Not anymore. I couldn't wipe the silly grin off my face.

A while later, we arrived at the hotel for the after party. Apparently, one of the student's parents owned this place and thought it would be better if the party were here in case someone needed a bed to sleep on. Little did he know that his own son was drunk and getting it on with a fellow classmate in one of the rooms.

We found Alice and Rosalie, who now had a tiara on her head which identified her as the prom queen.

"Congratulations!" I offered.

"Thanks, Emmett received a complimentary crown since he had already graduated and wouldn't be eligible for prom king."

"How nice of them. Where are Jasper and Emmett?"

"Probably getting a refill." She said this as she looked at her beverage and smiled.

_Underage drinking, great. _I sarcastically thought to myself.

Edward never left my side while we mingled with our classmates, both of us declining when someone offered us a mixed drink. I would occasionally catch him staring at me. I wondered if he was ok knowing that we just took our relationship to the next level. But when he smiled at me, I knew we did the right thing.

_We are gonna be ok._

After another hour of hanging out with everyone, we decided that we were ready to leave. I personally would have preferred to leave sooner, but Edward is a senior and graduating soon; many of his friends, here at this party, would all be going off on their own entering the cruel world.

We weren't ready to go home, so we decided to head on over to a secluded area at the airport. Its vantage point allowed for easy viewing of the planes coming and going down the runway.

As we drove the short distance, we had to stop at a red light. Edward looked at me, laughing, as we recapped how silly Emmett looked as he tried to mimic Rosalie dancing the 'shopping cart'. It was hysterical.

The light turned green and Edward returned his focus forward, inching into the intersection slowly.

We never made it through.

Tires screeched, metal hitting metal. Windows shattering followed closely by Edward's heart-wrenching screams were the last sounds I heard.

Silence.

Darkness.

A siren in the distance.

"Breathe, Bella, breathe." A stranger's voice said to me. I couldn't see him though.

Silence.

I felt my body lift onto a stretcher.

Silence.

Somehow I found myself standing in the corner of a hospital room. I am not sure how I lost several minutes, if not hours of my life. Even though I could see, it was very dark as if a screen was covering my eyes. I looked at the bed, but could not see who was sleeping. The person must have been special to Edward. I knew it was him because of his hair. But I couldn't understand why his leg was in a cast causing him to be in a wheelchair. He was hunched over the body before him, as if he was praying.

I watched his agony long enough, so I rushed to his side to comfort him.

"Edward! Are you alright?"

Nothing.

"Edward, what happened?"

Nothing.

I decided he must be so distraught over his friend, that I go back to my corner and wait for him to come out of his trance.

The door opened and a priest walked in, followed by my parents and Edward's parents.

_What the hell are they all doing here? And, uhm, hello? Do you not want to acknowledge me?_

Since they all seem to not want to fill me in on who's dying over there, I will just wait... patiently. Although, Edward, and especially my parents, should know I am not a patient person. I like to be 'in the know.'

The priest said a few prayers and then hugged each of them before leaving. My parents cradled each other as they looked at the bed, then over at Edward, then back at the bed. I watched as my mom kissed the unknown person's cheek, and began to cry. She bolted from the room, with my dad quickly behind her.

Esme rubbed Edward on his back for a moment. She kissed her hand then placed that same hand on the forehead of the person in the bed. I saw a single tear fall as she left the room.

Edward never moved. Carlisle pulled up a chair and mimicked Edwards position. He waited, awhile, before he spoke.

"Edward. She will be in a better place. Her organs will be donated. It's time to let her go."

"I know, I just don't want to. I loved her so much." He cried out loud.

"She knows. I will wait outside for you to say your final goodbye. I will be back in a few minutes."

I saw as Edward nodded and watched Carlisle leave.

After several minutes, I thought I heard him say my name. But he wasn't looking at me so I must have misheard him.

"Oh beautiful girl. I love you so much. It's hard to believe that 7 nights ago I had both the best night of my life and the worst. You were stunning in your prom dress. And then making love with you in that meadow was incredible.

"They say the guy was texting while driving and ran the red light. Since he was speeding and plowed right into the passenger side, there was hardly any chance of you surviving the night. But you did... 7 nights. But my dad says that there is no brain activity.

"I can't loose you. I don't want to loose you. Please. I beg of you, just move a finger, your lips, an eyebrow... something... anything.

"They are pulling the plug tonight. This will be the last time I will see your warm body. After tonight I will never see you blush. I will never get to hold you close. I will never again kiss your sweet lips. You will always be on my mind. Always and forever.

"I love you. God, I love you so much."

_Edward! I am right here. Can't you see me? I am so confused. This doesn't make any sense to me. Edward, just look at me!_

Carlisle entered the room. Instead of walking to Edward, he stepped to the other side of the bed. Being the Chief of the hospital, he had the responsibility of pulling the plug.

The sound of the heartbeat pumped for the last time, then...

Silence.

I don't remember how I ended up here. But I stood in the morgue where they house the bodies. I should be afraid, but strangely I am not.

My interests got the better of me and I was curious as to what a dead person looked like. I opened the first door and peeked inside. The girl had dark hair, just like me. I wondered what happened to her causing her to end up in the morgue.

I glanced at her face.

_I have seen her before. Oh my GOD! That is me._

I had no choice but to accept that my old life was over and a knew one was about to begin. And so, I walked toward the light.


End file.
